NOCN Group's Carl Hassell takes founding seat on Construction Growth Coalition board

NOCN Group chief operating officer Carl Hassell has joined the board of the Construction Growth Coalition as one of its nine founder members, the awarding organisation announced on 10 November 2026.

NOCN Group said the coalition launched on 5 November 2026 to give construction businesses of every size, from sole traders to the largest contractors, one voice with government.

The coalition is co-chaired by Dr Victoria Hills, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), and Steve Mulholland, chief executive of the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) and a trustee of NOCN Group, according to NOCN.

Carl Hassell, NOCN Group chief operating officer, said: "The Construction Growth Coalition gives the whole industry a seat at the table."

What NOCN wants from the coalition

NOCN Group said the industry needs around 250,000 additional workers every year. It listed the practical changes it wants the coalition to pursue for employers, including simpler and more affordable routes into training, assessment and apprenticeships.

It also wants competence standards that support building safety and a proportionate Single Construction Regulator, and a skills system that works for the smallest firms. NOCN put the share of construction firms that are SMEs and micro businesses at 99.6%; the CIOB's own announcement gives a figure of 99%.

Hassell said employers' needs were clear from the organisation's day-to-day work: "Every day we see what employers need: competent, safe and qualified people".

The co-chairs

The CIOB announced on 6 November 2026 that Dr Hills had been appointed co-chair of the newly formed coalition. It described the body as a new membership organisation bringing construction businesses of every size together, led by nine founder members drawn from the industry's institutions, trades and media.

The CIOB said most of its chartered company members are SMEs. Dr Hills said SMEs should have an equal voice with larger companies and that they "don't always have the resources to support extra apprenticeships".

Mulholland joined the NOCN Group board as a trustee in July 2026, the organisation announced at the time, providing guidance and insight to the board.

NOCN's background

NOCN Group describes itself as an international charity delivering skills solutions with social impact. NOCN is an Ofqual-regulated awarding organisation and the group says it is one of the largest awarding organisations in the construction sector globally.

It is also the custodian of the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS), which it acquired from the Construction Industry Training Board in 2019. CPCS provides certification for plant operators and associated operations for UK construction and allied industries. The scheme was originally launched in 2003 and more than 300,000 cards have been issued across 64 categories, according to the scheme's own page.

Hassell joined NOCN Group in 2019 and was appointed chief operating officer in October 2024.

What happens next

NOCN said construction businesses can register their interest in joining the coalition, with membership opening shortly after launch.